H2R–Geita Success Story: From Evidence to Action in Mobile Communities

Left to right: Ritha Mboneko (HIS Analyst, Global Programs Tanzania) served as field coordinator; Rosalia Munishi (Freelance) served as research assistant; and Geofrey Mchau (Public Health Specialist, CDC Tanzania), handled site monitoring.

The 2025 Assessing Community-Centered Strategies for Effective HIV Service Solutions (ACCESS) assessment has helped drive a rapid and coordinated response in Tanzania’s Geita Region.

Implemented by the National AIDS, STIs, and Hepatitis Control Program (NASHCoP), in collaboration with the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the assessment examined factors influencing HIV prevention, testing, and treatment among small-scale mining populations.

Conducted between June and July 2025 as part of a broader assessment in Kagera and Geita, the Geita component identified gaps in HIV service access and highlighted mobility patterns, community needs, and opportunities to improve service delivery in mining communities.

What set Geita apart was the speed of response. Preliminary findings were shared early with regional stakeholders, allowing immediate action rather than waiting for the full assessment cycle to conclude.

The Geita Regional Health Management Team (RHMT), working closely with partners, quickly translated evidence into action. Through multi-sectoral engagement, stakeholders mobilized resources to expand HIV testing, introduce and strengthen PrEP services, improve access to reproductive health services, and intensify outreach in mining sites and nearby communities, including school settings.

Implementation is being reinforced through collaboration with ICAP, supporting mobile and community-based service delivery models that bring services closer to highly mobile populations. These efforts are helping address long-standing access barriers by reaching people where they live and work.

Geita has also set a clear performance target: increasing comprehensive HIV knowledge from 30% to 50% by the end of the year through strengthened risk communication and community engagement.

This emerging success story shows how timely evidence, strong coordination, and local ownership can accelerate action for underserved and mobile populations. In Geita, data is not only informing programs. It is helping drive practical changes in how HIV services are delivered.

Dr. Prosper Njau served as PI and is the Program Manager for NASHCoP.

Caring for Providers to Improve Patient Experience (CPIPE) Intervention

Patience Afulani, PhD (image source UCSF)

Global Programs Kenya led research to address maternal health disparities in low- and middle-income countries, where 800 pregnancy-related deaths occur daily. In sub-Saharan Africa, many women, particularly from low socioeconomic backgrounds, do not deliver in health facilities, leading to poor outcomes. To address this, the "Caring for Providers to Improve Patient Experience" (CPIPE) intervention was developed (PI: Dr. Patience Afulani, UCSF OBGYN). CPIPE focuses on provider training, peer support, mentorship, embedded champions, leadership engagement, and promoting equitable and respectful care to tackle key drivers of poor person-centered maternal care, such as stress, burnout, and bias.

In July, Advances in Global Health published "Implementation of the Caring for Providers to Improve Patient Experience Intervention in Migori County, Kenya: Challenges, Successes, and Lessons." Authors include Beryl Ogolla (Global Programs Kenya), Linnet Ongeri (KEMRI), Edwina Oboke (Global Programs Kenya), Monica Getahun (UCSF IGHS), Joyceline Kinyua (KEMRI), Iscar Oluoch (Migori County Government, Kenya), James Oduor (Migori County Referral Hospital, Kenya), and Patience Afulani (UCSF IGHS).

ENGAGE Kenya Update

ENGAGE Kenya via LinkedIn

The ENGAGE Project (PI: Fitti Weissglas, IGHS) recently celebrated the graduation of 90 young women who completed intensive training in data science across six Kenyan universities, including Meru University of Science and Technology.

This initiative, part of a larger effort funded by Takeda Pharmaceuticals and led by the University of Nairobi (in partnership with UCSF), aims to empower young women from underserved backgrounds by equipping them with essential data science skills to address public health challenges. The graduates’ success highlights the project's commitment to fostering women in STEM and creating impactful solutions for communities in Kenya.